MELVIN NEWLAND
at CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE, TX
WEDDING CEREMONY FOR JASON STRAUB / MICHELLE FLEMING
(The wording of this message is largely adapted from an excellent Ceremony on SermonCentral by Kevin Higgins. This contains the addition of a Blessing of the Hands theme during the ceremony.)
We are gathered here today at the invitation of Jason & Michelle to join with them in one of the most solemn & meaningful events of their lives.
The marriage of two Christians, I am convinced, is viewed by God as an occasion of great joy since it marks the beginning of a relationship that is second only to our personal relationship with the Lord Himself. Let us acknowledge that & seek His blessing as we bow our heads before Him in prayer.
Prayer
Question: Who presents Michelle to be joined to Jason in marriage?
Response by father
Message: Long ago, the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning gave us a beautiful expression of love when she wrote:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth & breadth & height
My soul can reach,
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. . .
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!
And if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. (Sonnets to the Portuguese)
There have been many beautiful expressions of love given to us through the years. One of my favorites is the story of how Jacob loved Rachel & served her father 14 years to gain her hand in marriage. The Bible says concerning those years, “…but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” (Genesis 29:20)
So this afternoon, as we share in this wedding ceremony, it is well that we remember that in the beginning, when God created the heavens & the earth, He concluded, “It is not good for man to be alone.” So, He created woman to share in man’s life – to assist in his strivings & to satisfy his need. And He created woman to be loved, honored & adored by man.
Jason, God has ordained the man as the spiritual head, & as the responsible provider in the human relationship. By His plan, your strength must be your wife’s protection, your character must be her pride, & you must so live that she will find in you the haven for which her heart truly longs.
Michelle, it is God’s plan that you be a loving wife, that you respond to your husband’s love in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding, through a great faith in Christ who brought you together. It is His desire that you have an inner beauty that never fades, & an eternal youth that is found in holding fast the things that never age.
Christian marriage is not living merely for each other; it is two people uniting hearts & hands to serve God. Seek His kingdom first, & His righteousness, & He will add all other things to you.
But realize also that nothing is easier than saying words & making promises, & nothing is harder than living them day-by-day. What you promise today must be lived tomorrow, & all the tomorrows that follow thereafter.
Do not expect perfection from each other; do not minimize each other’s weaknesses, but always be swift to praise & magnify each other’s strengths & see each other through kind & patient eyes.
God will lead you into situations that will bless you, & which will develop your character in your life together. As you look to Him, He will give you enough tears to keep you tender, allow enough hurts to keep you compassionate, enough of failure to keep your hands clenched tightly in His, & enough of success to make you certain that you are walking with Him.
May He remain the central figure in your relationship. May you never take each other’s love for granted, & it is my prayer that when you come to the end of life’s journey that you love each other more than you do even today.
As an expression that your hearts are bound together in love, I ask you to hold each other’s hands.
Jason, the one whom you hold by the hand is to be your wife. She has offered you one of the most sacred things under heaven: a woman’s life, & a woman’s love. You may bring her great joy or cause her deep sorrow.
But it is not what you bring in a material way that will make true happiness – riches without love are nothing. It is only as you love her unconditionally & cherish her completely that you will keep her heart won to yours.
Jason, do you vow here, that you will love her, be true & loyal to her, patient in sickness, comforting in sorrow, & forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her so long as you both shall live?
Jason: “I do.”
Jason, will you please turn your palms up so that Michelle can see them & hold them in her hands?
Michelle, these are the hands, young & strong, of the one who has just promised to love & cherish you all the days of your life together.
These are the hands that will work long hours to earn a living for you & the family with which God blesses you.
These are the hands that will be nicked & bruised from trying to fix things around the house to make you more comfortable.
These are the hands that may sometimes look large & clumsy, yet will be gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.
These are the hands that will wipe tears from your eyes; that will comfort you in illness, & hold you when fear or grief assault your soul.
These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin & brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes; eyes that are filled with his love & desire for you.
Michelle, the one whose hands you hold is to be your husband. Upon your life, your love, & your devotion he will lean for strength & inspiration. He will look to you for encouragement, for cheerfulness, & for confidence.
No matter what others may think - they may forget him, lose confidence in him, or turn their backs upon him - but you must not. May your life & love be the inspiration that will constantly lead him to greater dependence on the Lord.
Michelle, do you vow here, that you will be loyal in adversity, ministering to him in affliction, comforting him in sorrow, & forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him so long as you both shall live?
Michelle: “I do.”
Michelle, will you please turn your palms up so that Jason can see them & hold them in his hands?
Jason, these are the hands of the one who has just promised to love & cherish you all the days of her life.
These hands are smooth & young & carefree now, but one day will be lined & rougher because of their work in seeking to make your life more comfortable.
These are the hands that will hold any children with which God blesses you in tender love, soothing them through illness, & disciplining them as needed.
These are the hands that will hold your face & wipe your tears - in wonder & awe that you would cry for her. Jason, may you remember these things & treasure them all the days of your life.
Now both of you, once again join your hands together. And as you do, remember that these are the hands that you will lift in praise to God for the blessings He bestows upon you. And also, that these are the hands that you will need daily to fold in prayer as you pray for each other & for your family as it may grow in the years to come.
Now may I have the ring that Jason will present to Michelle as a token of the sincerity of his vows?
Jason, this ring represents the covenant you are entering into today. You will notice that it is fashioned in the form of a complete circle, without beginning or end, symbolizing the completeness of your love for each other.
Now please place it on the third finger of Michelle’s left hand & repeat after me: ”I take you, Michelle - to be my wife - before God who brought us together - to have & to hold - from this day forward - for better or for worse - for richer or for poorer - in sickness & in health - to love & to cherish. – And with all that I am - I commit myself to you - till death shall us part.”
Now may I have the ring that Michelle will present to Jason as a token of the sincerity of her vows?
Michelle, this ring is made of pure & precious metal. It will not tarnish or turn with age. It is symbolic of the purity of the love with which your are joined together this day.
Now please place it on the third finger of Jason’s left hand & repeat after me: ”I take you, Jason - to be my husband - before God who brought us together - to have & to hold - from this day forward - for better or for worse - for richer or for poorer - in sickness & in health - to love & to cherish. – And with all that I am - I commit myself to you - till death shall us part.”
Lighting of the Unity Candle
Jason, Michelle -the two outside candles on this table have been lit to represent your lives up to this moment. They are two distinct lights, each capable of going their separate ways. To bring the happiness God designed for your home, there must be the merging of these two lights into one light. This is in part what the Lord meant when He said, “For this reason a man will leave his father & mother & be united to his wife, & the two will become one flesh.” (Matthew 19:5)
Prayer
Pronouncement of Marriage
Presentation of the couple
